Home Help: Conquer clutter to make kitchen feel larger

Friday

May 23, 2014 at 12:01 AM

Tip of the WeekThe kitchen - it’s the central hub of the home where we do homework, pay bills, charge electronics, surf the Web and cook up a meal or two. We spend hours in this core of the house, so it’s not surprising that a recent survey from the Research Institute for Cooking and Kitchen Intelligence found that four out of five homeowners want to change something about their kitchen.While you may not be able to add square footage to your kitchen, there are many ways to conquer clutter and make the room feel larger. Start by clearing off the countertops and placing small appliances or unnecessary items in cupboards or closets. Next, focus on the sink area. Add some fashion and function with a new single-handle pull-down or pull-out faucet; and swap the dingy bottle of soap with a permanent soap dispenser.Are you tired of the kitchen dish towels lying on the sink or countertop - or worse yet, the floor? Towel bars, towel rings and hooks are an ideal solution to provide a permanent and convenient home for this kitchen necessity. Other accessories, such as robe hooks, can also be used to hang pot holders. And, don’t stop there. Create continuity throughout your updated space with new knobs and drawer pulls that complement your faucets and fixtures. Whether you prefer modern or something more traditional, there are many options available to extend your sense of design down to the details.“Homeowners are demanding more from their kitchens than ever before,” says Mike Maynard, product manager, Moen Accessories. “We know that it’s much more than a spot to cook and clean the dishes. That’s why Moen keeps consumers’ needs top-of-mind by offering thoughtfully designed products to fit the ever-changing demands of this vital room.”- BrandpointHome-selling TipBeyond the pots and pans, the kitchen becomes a dumping ground for everyday items. When selling a home don’t let all of your paperwork collect on your island or countertops. Instead, create a central command kitchen station complete with stylish baskets to hide clutter and built-in book shelves or mail slots to ensure everything has a proper place. If you have enough space, add a desk to offer a devoted area for paper storage - as well as a work center to pay bills or do school work.- BrandpointDecorating TipWe often have good intentions when organizing our kitchen drawers, but let’s face it - they’re usually a mess! According to houzz.com, many homeowners are taking a new approach to kitchen drawer storage and solving space dilemmas by installing customized sliding drawers. One example is an under-sink sliding drawer which pulls out to provide easy access to cleaning supplies that often get lost behind the pipes.- BrandpointGarden GuidePest control experts recommend taking action when the weather warms up to the 70s in order to catch yellow jacket queens as they emerge from their winter homes. Yellow jackets are extremely aggressive — more so than wasps or hornets.“Yellow jackets will sting and bite. They’ll often bite flesh to get a better grip before jabbing you with their stinger. And since they don’t lose their stingers, they can sting multiple times,” said Rod Schneidmiller, president of Sterling International.